Hypodermic needle



Jan. 27. .1925,

. 1,524,632 P. s. PITTENGER HYPODERMIO' NEEDLE Filed Dec. 1. 1921 Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT; arms.

jPAUL s. PITTENGER, or PHILAD LPHIA, PENNSYLV NIA, ssrGNoR Ton. K.-MUL-- roan COMPANY, or PHILADELPHIA, PEliNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

HYPODERMIC NEEDLE.

Application filed December 1, 1921. Serial 519,175

To all whom. it may concern.

Be it known that I, PAUL S: Prr'rnxmcn,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented the Hypodermic Needle, of which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel form of needle-containing package primarily designed to maintainan isolated hypodermic needle in a sterile condition and permit of its convenient manipulation preparatory to its use without likelihood of its contamination or infection. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a hypodermic needle package having the above characteristics including means for holding a needleso that its points cannot engage any part of the package so as to be dulled or blunted thereby and which in addition shall include means for removing a stylet from the needle without contaminating the latter. i

The invention also includes novel means for holding and directing the needle during the operatlon of inserting or positioning it in a hypodermic syringe, without contaminating it.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above class with novel means for indicating the order in which certain operations are to be performed in adapting it for use.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, refer-' ence being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

The figure is an elevation of a hypodermic needle illustrating my invention as applied thereto.

In the above drawings 1 represents a hypodermic needle such as is commonly employed for the hypodermic injection of such substances as serums, vaccines, or the like and this consists of a relatively long, metallic tubular structure pointed at both ends and having ermanently fixed to it, usually at a point nearer one end than the other, a flange or collar2, formed of a metallic disc having its edge knurled'or indented to permit of its being firmly grasped and immovably held bythe fingers. For the purpose of insuring that the passage through the needle shall remain open until it is desired for use, there is usually mountstylet passage an elongated wire or 3, one of whose ends projects beyond the end of the needle and is bent back upon itself as indicated in the drawing.

For maintaining both ed in said ends of the needle sterile until required for use I provide two" enclosing tubes 4 and 5 preferably of glass, each closed at one end and respectively provided with rubber or other suitable closures or stoppers 6 and 7. Each of these stoppers has a passage for the needle 1 and the tube 4 is of such a length'as' to completely enclose what in the" present instance is the longer end 1? of the 'needleQWhen" the'stopper 6 therein is in engagement with the dlsc' or collar 2. Similarly the tube 5 is of such length as to completely enclose the second and shorter end '1" "of the needle when the stopper in its e'ndis likewise in engagement with the disc' 'orcollar 2; it being noted that in both cases the pointed end of the needle is held out of possibility of engagement with; the glass tubes so that it cannot be injured thereby. 1 It is to be understood that before the assembly of the-parts of my invention. each of the stoppers or"closures 6' and 7 has "a preformed central passage which extends partly through it so that not only is the needle properly directed when it is inserted through each stopper, but it is caused to pass axially, as is necessary to cause the two stoppers to be in alignment.

Under conditions of manufacture the stoppers 6 and 7 are applied to the opposite ends 1 and 1 respectively of the needle, the stylet 3 is introduced into the latter and the enclosing tubes 4 and 5 are applied to the stoppers. The whole combination is then,

subjected to a suitable sterilizing treatment,

for wh ch purpose it may be heated to and maintained at such a temperature as to de-\ stroy all micro-organisms contained in or For this purpose the collar or disc 2 is grasped by the fingers of one hand and the tube 5 with its stopper 7 is drawn off of the end 1". Owin to the bend in the stylet 3, this is engaged y the stopper 7 and is withdrawn thereby from the passage of the needle. This exposed end 1" may now be inserted through the rubber plug or other closure or seal of the barrel of a hypodermic syringe of suitable construction, after which, and while the collar 2 is still grasped by the fingers of the operator, the protecting tube 4.- with the stopper 6 may be withdrawn from the end 1 of the .needle. The latter is now ready for use and it will be understood that the above operations may be performed without the necessity for touching either end of the needle and thus contaminating the same. In order to indicate the above described order of procedure, I preferably give one'of the enclosing tubes 4 or 5, usually the latter, some distinctive color so that an operator may be directed to remove this colored tubular cover from the needle as a first step in the use or application of the needle. 7

By means of the above described arrangement of parts it is thus possible to. insure the hypodermic needle being maintained in a sterile condition until it is desired for use and to make possible itsapplication to the syringe without the necessity for any part of either of its ends being touched by the fingers or other obj ect which might contaminate the same.

1. The combination ofa hypodermic needle; means including at least one closed tube enclosing one end of said needle; and a stylet mounted in the needle and formed to be removed therefrom by the removal of d enclosing tube.

2. The combination of a hypodermic needle having a collar thereon; stoppers mounted on the needle on opposite sides of the collar;-tubes enclosing the ends of the needle respectively and normally sealed by said stoppers; with a stylet in the needle formed to 'be engaged and removed therefrom by one of the stoppers when this is removed fromjhe needle.

3. The combination with a. hypodermic needle of a pair of tubes having apertured stoppers through which the ends of the needle may be, inserted, said stoppers being removable from the ends of the needles with the tubes andbeing adapted to fit closely around the needle to seal the tubes when the needle is inserted. a

4. The combination with a hypodermic needle of a pair of tubes having apertured stoppers through which the ends of the nee dle may be inserted, the stopper'of at least one of said tubes' being detachable therefrom and removable from the needle with the tube, andeach of said stoppers being adapted to fit closely around the needle to. seal the tubes when the needle is inserted. '5. In combination, a hypodermic needle having a collar mounted t ereon intermediate the ends thereof; stoppers removably mounted on the needle on opposite sides of said collar andabutting the same; and tubes enclosing the ends of the needle respectively, andnormally sealed by said stoppers.

PAUL S. PITTENGER. 

